Whenever Google has a new Android update up its sleeves, it first sends the new software to several mobile carriers, who then test it and decide when to roll it out to the public. Meanwhile, Microsoft is to have none of that.

The Washington-based tech giant recently announced that it will have direct control over software updates for the Windows 10 Mobile operating system. Consequently, the company is currently negotiating with mobile carriers regarding future updates.

"Microsoft is working closely with mobile operators to leverage their testing and our flighting to meet and exceed current quality bars. We will use their input but will decide when to send the updates out based on input form Mobile Operators and our Windows Insiders," the company said in a statement to WM Power User.

The process is as simple as it is efficient. Mobile carriers will run their tests on Windows 10 Mobile updates, but it would be Microsoft who will deliver them to the public. Apart from wireless service providers, Microsoft will also depend on the feedback from members of the Windows Insiders program to assess when a new update is ready to be distributed.

"The optimum way to ensure our customers are running the best Windows is to get them the latest updates for Windows 10. Delivering Windows 10 as a service means we can offer ongoing security updates, new features and capabilities — we'd like to make sure people can get access to the latest Windows 10 updates as soon as they are available."

Again, this is a tad different from how Google handles updates for its mobile platform. Android users have to painstakingly wait for each mobile carrier to be contended with the update before it is released.

Since some run their tests longer than others, updates aren't distributed fairly. This means that users owning the same Android device could have their handsets running on different versions of Android at the same time, depending on which wireless service provider they are subscribed to. This is precisely what Microsoft wants to avoid.

Be that as it may, mobile carriers are still an integral part in Microsoft's updating process.

Lastly, the company plans on keeping Windows 10 Mobile fresh by seeding out updates at consistent intervals.

Windows 10 Mobile is set apart from other mobile platforms since it works hand-in-hand with Microsoft's operating system for desktop computers, as per Cubic Lane.

This means that Windows 10 desktop apps can run fluidly on Windows 10 Mobile handsets, without developers creating different versions of the same app. The company brands these apps as Universal Apps.

Universal Apps can shift between desktop and smartphone displays via a Windows 10 feature called Continuum, which reshapes the apps depending on the devices users are running them on.